Avengers #301
Super Nova Unbound!
The Avengers have been given permission to move their headquarters, Hydrobase, closer to New York City. Guided by Mister Fantastic, Thor and Gilgamesh pull the massive floating structure into Upper New York Bay near the Statue of Liberty and moore it into the ground with massive titanium spikes. The entire operation is overseen by Captain America, who is impressed by the abilities the new team is brining to the table. After the island is secured, Jarvis brings the first of many people that Cap has hired to be part of a new Avengers support crew, Michael O’Brien former security chief at Project PEGASUS.
After introductions are made, the Invisible Woman pulls her husband aside and asks him how long they intend on being Avengers. Reed tells Sue that he will make up his mind once the team is back on its feet.[1] That’s when everyone notices a giant flaming “A” appear in the sky over Manhattan. Using the Fantasti-Car, the Avengers fly to the source of the signal, Avengers Park.[2] There they find Starfox, their long lost teammate, who is in possession of Firelord’s flaming staff.[3] He tells the Avengers that he and Firelord were attacked by Super-Nova, the last survivor of the planet Xandar who attacked them because he believed they were harboring Nebula.[4] Learning that Nebula was apparently seen on Earth in the company of the Avengers, Starfox and Firelord tried to return to Earth to warn them but were attacked.[5]
Agreeing to help Starfox, the Avengers borrow the Fantastic Four’s ICBM rocket to fly into space and find Firelord. Using his staff to track his location, the Avengers are led to a massive alien ship, just outside of Earth orbit. Entering the craft, the all put on space suits to explore the inside of the alien vessel. There they are attacked by parasitic brain creatures. After fighting off these psudo-life forms, the team continues on in search of their ally.[6] They find Firelord restrained in a bunch of mechanical wires in another part of the ship. Using the flame rod to free Firelord, they discover that the former herald of Galactus is still alive.
That’s when they are confronted by Super-Nova, who has grown to massive size after all the power of the Nova Corps. He demands that the Avengers hand over Nebula so he can avenge his world. When the Avengers try to convince him that Nebula is no longer on Earth, Super-Nova doesn’t believe them. He then decides to go looking for her himself and leaves for Earth, blowing up his ship along the way and apparently killing all the Avengers on board. Super-Nova vows that if the people of Earth do not turn Nebula over to him, he will leave the planet a charred husk when he is done with it.
Recurring Characters
Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Gilgamesh), Super-Nova, Edwin Jarvis, Michael O’Brien, Starfox, Firelord
Continuity Notes
At the time of this story, Reed and Sue just recently took a leave of absence from the FF in Fantastic Four #308. They will eventually return to the team in issue #326 of that series.
Readers are reminded that Avengers Park first appeared in X-Factor #23. It was built on the site of Avengers Mansion after it was heavily damaged in Avengers #273-277.
Readers are reminded that Starfox was last seen heading into space to hunt down his alleged grandniece, Nebula. See Avengers #259-261.
The world of Xandar was laid to waste by Nebula in Avengers #260. Although nearly everyone on that world died in the attack, Xander was later restored and its people resurrected with cloning technology by the time it is seen again in New Warriors #41-42.
A member of the Council of Cross-Time Kangs identified claimed to be Nebula during her appearances in Avengers #291-297. However, this was actually Ravonna Renslayer who disguised herself as Nebula as part of a grander scheme to obtain the most powerful weapon in the omniverse and get revenge against Kang the Conqueror. See Fantastic Four #337-341 as well as Captain America Annual #11, Thor Annual #17, Fantastic Four Annual #25, and Avengers Annual #21. The real Nebula is somewhere in deep space, as we’ll learn in Avengers #314-318.
Reed recounts how he has encountered Xandarian organic computers similar to the brain parasites. He is referring to the team’s previous visit to Xandar in Fantastic Four #204-206 & 208-209. (This story incorrectly attributes Fantastic Four #207, which was actually a Human Torch solo story where Johnny teamed-up with Spider-Man to fight the Monocle)
Topical References
The original twin towers of the World Trade Center are depicted as part of the New York City skyline in this story. This should be considered a topical reference as these buildings were destroyed in a terror attack on September 11, 2001 and have since been replaced by the Freedom Tower.
